I LOVE lentils – any lentils. My Beluga Lentil Salad is bright with Mediterranean spices and fresh herbs and makes a great side dish with grilled meats, poultry or fish. Throw in some crumbled feta cheese and serve as a lunch with a whole grain crusty bread. It’s a perfect make-ahead dish that travels well so pack it in your lunch bag or take on your next picnic. I love Beluga Lentil salad best at room temperature, but it can also be eaten straight from the fridge.
Can you make this salad with other lentils or beans? Yes, of course. And it would be especially good with garbanzo beans, black beans or Spanish Pardina lentils. You want a bean or lentil that will hold its shape after cooking. I always like to cook from dried beans and buy them in bulk, but you can use canned beans that are well rinsed and drained. The beauty of using lentils is that they cook quickly and do not require any soaking. This does not hold for garbanzo beans or black beans.
These versatile pulses are wonderful in soups, stews and salads and when eaten with a grain they become a complete protein. Beluga or black lentils, which resemble caviar and thus the name, are nutrient powerhouses. Dense in iron, magnesium, folate, and potassium, this unique combination of essential nutrients contributes to various aspects of health, including blood health, muscle function, and heart health. And they taste great!
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While we still may be in the gloom of winter and world events, just looking at this Beluga Lentil Salad brightens my spirit – just a bit.
But don’t stop here. Check out any of the wonderful salads available on my blog!
RECIPE
Yield: 4 to 6 generous servings depending on if it is a side or a lunch
INGREDIENTS
1 cup dried black Beluga Lentils (Yields about 3 cups of cooked lentils), rinsed and cooked according to package instructions
2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
3 scallions, trimmed and sliced thinly (I use the white part and some of the green as well)
About 4 cups of loosely packed fresh herbs, chopped (You can use almost any fresh herb, but I used flat-leaf parsley and cilantro. I love using LOTS of fresh herbs, but you can, of course, adjust this to your personal taste.)
3/4 teaspoon each: ground coriander, ground cumin and kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon each: Aleppo pepper or fresh cracked black pepper and turmeric
Juice of 2 small to medium lemons
3 to 4 Tablespoons EVOO (I love Sciabica EVOO, but any quality olive oil will work)
About 1 cup of quartered grape or cherry tomatoes (If you like more, add more)
DIRECTIONS
Cook the lentils according to the package. My Beluga Lentils took about 18 minutes. If you are cooking dried lentils, always rinse them BEFORE and AFTER cooking. I drain my lentils running them under cold water. If you don’t rinse them, your salad will be a muddy color.
Add all of the other ingredients in a large bowl (I like to do this in either a stainless or glass bowl because of the oil.) Once the lentils have been rinsed, well-drained and cooled slightly, add them to the other ingredients and mix gently with a spoon or spatula. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your personal tastes.
